Wasmuth May Face Fight to Keep His Seat; Phil McAbee mentioned as delegate at large at convention

WASMUTH MAY

FACE FIGHT TO

KEEP HIS SEAT

Sweeping Victory of McCray

Serves to Intensify Talk That

State Chairman May

Have Opposition.

LEADERS GIVE NO SIGN

Senator Watson and Gubernatorial

Nominee Have Not

Intimated Their Position.

Indications that E. M. Wasmuth of Huntlngton, Republican state chairman, will face opposition for re-election when the new state committee meets next Wednesday at the Hotel Severin were apparent yesterday as reports filtered In from yarious parts of the state after the primary election. For some time there has been talk that the chairman would have to fight for his place on the committee, and the sweeping victory for Warren T. McCray. who won the Republican nomination for Governor, has served to intensify the talk that Mr: Wasmuth might be displaced.

Mr. McCray conferred with Senator Watson yesterday, just before he left for his home in Kentland. Senator New arrived to the city yesterday afternoon to retmain until after the state convention next Wednesday and Thursday. Both of the senators maintained silence, however, on local political affairs and declined to discuss the chairmanship issue. Mr. Wasmuth arrived at Republican state headquarters in the Hotel Severin yesetrday.

The newly elected precinct committeemen will meet next Saturday to elect county chairmen. The personnel of the county leaders will have some indication as to the make-up of the district organizations, which will named next Tuesday. The newly chosen district chairmen will in turn meet here next Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock to perfect the new state organization.

Watson and McCray in Control.

Senator Watson and Mr. McCray are undoubtedly in control of the situation, for the overwhelming vote accorded the Kentland man has given him commanding place in Republican politics. He has a big personal following throughout the state, a following that will work In close harmony with Senator Watson because his organization was friendly to Mr. McCray during the primary campaign. McCray supporters, in discussing the cairmanship succession, point out that Mr. McCray believes that he attracted a large part of the vote that nominated him because of his opposition to certain features of the tax law. They also recall that Mr. Wasmuth issued several statements last winter upholding the Goodrich tax law and that as a result his retention, on the committee might be objectionable to the McCray following.

Mr. McCray has given no indication of whether or not Mr. Wasmuth will be acceptable to him, noras Senator Watson given an intimation of his feeling in the matter. Both the senator and Mr. McCray, who will head the state ticket this fall, are interested in the choice of a chairman, for in no small decree their political fortunes will rest in the hands of the head of, the state committee.

At the same time friends and supporters of Chairman Wasmuth are active in his behalf. One of the first arguments urged in favor of his retention is that he has been a faithful and resourceful party chief in the state, showing great industry and deep interest in party success. It is urged further that he made a successful fight in the campaign of 1918, and that since that time he has been busy in preparation for the presidential campaign this year.

It is declared also that to unseat him now, on the eve of a presidential canvass, would be an injustice to him and to his large number of friends in the Eleventh and other districts. Leading Republicans who have kept themselves informed of the various aspects of the opposition to the state chairman say that the differences which have been voiced in the last few months can be adjusted without trouble, and that Mr. Wasmuth will be elected by the new committee.

Thurman Mentioned for Place.

The only man mentioned as a likely successor to Mr. Wasmuth is M. Burt Thurman of New Albany, Third district chairman. Mr. Thurman is faced with a flght to retain his seat as district committeeman but, according to reports from the Third, he win be re-elected. Mr. Thurman is regarded as a supporter of both Senator Watson and Mr. McCray and would be acceptable to them as head of the state committee.

Both the senatorial and gubernatorial candidates are convinced that national issues must predominate in the campaign this fall, it is said. They feel, their friends declare, that questions affecting the national government are of more importance than those arising out of purely local questions in Indiana. The line of campaign strategy to be followed undoubtedly will have some bearing on the selection of a chairman.

There are indications also that a fight will be precipitated in the state convention over the question of whether the Hoosier national delegates shall be instructed to vote for Maj. Gen Leonard Wood who won the plurality presidential preference vote. The Wood camp will insist on an instructed delegation, unless a compromise is effected before the convention convenes.

Reports were prevalent yesterday, although they could not be verified, that both sides would agree to a plan whereby the delegation would support Gen. Wood as long as he appeared a winner in the national convention, but that if he showed signs of weakening the delegates would be left to their own choice. In that event no instructions will be asked of the state convention.

The discussion about Indiana's "big four" delegates to the Republican national convention has led some Republicans to point out that in a number of states notably Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas and Michigan, it is not customary to send the United States senators. Governor and perhaps the state chairman of the party. Those who have been mentioned for delegates, at large to the national convention, other than office-holders, include Phil McCabe [sic] McAbee of Muncie, vice president of the Hemingway [sic] Hemingray Glass Company, who served in France under Maj. Gen Edwin F. Glenn, Col. Hiram Bearss of Peru, formerly of the 5th Marines. Mrs. A. H. Beardsley of Elkhart, Charles A Pookwalter and Harry O. Chamberlin of Indianapolis and Miss Helen C. Benbridge of Terre Haute.